Surface projectile movable amusement device



Nov. 16, 1965 K. .1. MILLER SURFACE PROJECTILE MOVABLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 16, 1965 K. J. MILLER 3,218,074

SURFACE PROJECTILE MOVABLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 B726. 4. fig 5. 1726. 6.

[EVA/77) I'M/44 56 INVENTOR.

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SURFACE PROJECTILE MOVABLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 00 J 2&2 ,2 F 0/ Z0617 m 20/ f m E a. J2

zzwzmmw .szazzx W 3,218,974 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 nited States Patent rods provide a flat rather than curved or sharp opposed rod contacting surfaces, the rods fail to provide a stable 3,213,074 SURFACE PROJECTILE MOVABLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE yet low friction support near the point the ball passes Kenneth J. Miller, 7336 Cleargrove Drive, Downey, Calif. through rods- Filed Jan. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 424,247 5 Further, in the device of the 167 patent, gyroscopic 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-109) action impairs ball stability if the rods are turned to catch the ball after or during the time it drops through the This application is a continuation-in-part of copending Space between h d application Serial 285,133 filed June 3, 1963, IW In accordance with the present invention, the aboveabflndohed, y Kenneth Miller for Skill Game The 10 described and other disadvantages of the prior art are benefit Of the said date Of said application Serial NO. overcome by holding a pair of approximately parallel 285,138 is therefore hereby claimed for this application. longitudinal members at an i li so th a b d may This invention relates to an apparatus and method for roll downwardly on top of them. The members diverge imparting and controlling angular momentum and linear i a region at least at one end. h divergence, h velocity to an j and more particularly to economical ever, is slight and gradual. The members or the body and portable equipment employed for entertainment or b h are ili d fie ib1e which y be manually Worked in a quite unique and In the operation of the amusement device of the presshrprisihg manner by the use y a moderate amount ent invention, as the body gains both angular and linear of skill. momentum, it will become wedged between the members Although the Scope of application of the device of the 29 even while it continues to turn. The wedging action, at present invention should not be limited to that described l a t in part, is produced by the flat but convex side herein, the invention has been found to be especially 11sesurfaces of the body. A Wedging action is facilitated by ful in a portable amusem nt dev i Which Y l8 the resilience of the body or members or both, and divertated in one direction on one side of a pair of approxigence f th members mately parallel longitudinal members, in between the A th b dy approaches lo to a int wh re the members, and back in the pp or reverse direction distance between the rods is about equal to the width on the other side of the members- 0116 u h am m of the body, its linear momentum is converted into angudevice is shown in US. Patent No. 2,237,748 issued April lar momentum. Its angular velocity therefore increases 8, 1941, to Alexander SchwarZcnZ r f r ill Device? and its linear velocity decreases. This results because patent is referred to hereinafter as the patent. 30 the diverggnce .of the members causes the body to ontact Another such device is shown in US. P e t the members at points that lie closer and closer to the 167 issued March 5, 1963, to Virgil L. Hansard for Ror tational xis f th body, tatable Ball Runway Toy Device. This patent is rc- The increased angular velocity causes an even greater ferred to hereinafter as the 167 patent. wedging action. The body automatically passes between The following patents also disclose motion type amuse the members where they are, when unstressed, spaced a merit devi es US P t nt 6, US. Patent No. distance apart less than the body thickness. That is, the

1,383,316; and Austrian Patent No. 213,289. members are spread apart by the body when it passes The device of the 748 patent employs a spherical ball through the space between them.

rotatable on parallel rods. The rods have a diameter At a certain moment of pass through, the center of small in comparison to that of the ball. The rods are the body is positioned at the center of the space between spaced at distance apart less than the diameter of the ball the members. However, for a period of time both preso that the ball will not fall down from the rods through vious to and subsequent to the moment of pass through, the space between them. Near the ends of the parallel the members grip the body. This permits the members rods they are bent abruptly to a spacing to permit the ball to be rotated 180 degrees about a longitudinal axis withto fall freely between them Without coming into any slidout the grip on the body by the members being lost. The ing frictional contact with them. The bend is so abrupt l80-degree rotation may be performed at any time durthat the desired wide spacing is reached within approxiing the said periods before and after pass through. Furmately one ball diameter along the lengths of the rods. ther, the said rotation make take place at the moment of The device of the 748 patent has a trap structure to be described. If the trap structure were not used and if only pass through, and even during a portion of both of the said periods. However, it is possible to postpone all such the structure thus far described were used, the 748 device rotation until after the center of the body has passed could not be operated after the ball reversal simply by completely through the space between the members. turning the rods 180 degrees about an axis midway be- During the wedging action, the members or body may tween them. A trap adjacent the bent section of the rods fiex slightly although the deflection they take will be very is thus provided to catch the ball when it falls through the small. The body is thus gripped for a period of time bent section. Due to the fact that the ball must fall a sufiiciently long for one to rotate the members 180 dedistance into the trap, the forward and return movements grees about a longitudinal axis midway therebetween. of the ball are separated by this abrupt drop of the ball. This means that the members may be held in a horizontal The continuity of ball movement is thus broken. Furposition after they are so rotated, and the body may ther, the motion of the ball is not unique in that it simply return, for example, solely by the expenditure of its prerolls down hill when the rods are held in an inclined poviously accumulated angular momentum. The body may sition. in fact return by climbing uphill on the members if the The 167 patent discloses two rods of a rectangular cross lowered ends of the members are not raised. section that diverge a few degrees. A spherical ball The gripping action of the longitudinal members over rotates on these rods and drops through them. If the a period of time thus allows the device of the present skill of the operator is sufiicient, the ball may be caught invention to be operated by the use of a moderate amount on the other side of the rods after the ball has dropped of skill in turning the members over. That is, it is not through them. required that the members be rapidly flipped over with The ball of the 167 patent is difiicult to catch for the 7 a dexterity beyond average to catch the body for its resame reasons that the ball of the 748 patent is ditficult turn without dropping the body and interrupting its to catch. Further, due to the fact that the rectangular smooth linear direction reversal and without changing its ,9 angular velocity. Further, the naturally smooth reversal made by the body provides a unique and quite striking mode of operation which is unusually interesting and intriguing both to watch and to produce. The same is true of the stable character of what amounts to an automatic reversing mechanism which is produced in the operation of the amusement device of the present invention.

It is an advantage of the present invention that a saving in equipment is achieved by obviating the trap of the said 748 patent and the device even operates with the longitudinal members held vertically.

It is a feature of the present invention that the sides of the body are nearly flat and perpendicular to the rotational axis of the body, but that they are also slightly convex opposed surfaces which reach peak points at the axis of rotation of the body. For example, the body may have a shape in some ways similar to that of an ellipsoid. It also may be in some ways similar in shape either to an oblate spheroid or to a prolate spheroid, both of which are simply special cases of an ellipsoid. This shape facilitates the aforesaid wedging action. This shape also makes it possible to hold the longitudinal members in a nearly vertical position with one over the other and still the body gripped between the members. This is made possible because the maximum dimension of the body transverse to its rotational axis is substantially greater than its maximum thickness. Further, the small amount of the convexity of the body side surfaces also makes this possible. Any gyroscopic action tending to instability is also controlled more easily due to this construction.

It is also a feature of the present invention that at least one straight line, other than the axis of the body, passes through the midpoint of the body axis and intersects the said convex surfaces at points lying wholly outside of a circle in the plane of the axis and line, which circle has a diameter equal to the said predetermined distance and passes through the said peak points. It is a similar feature of the present invention that the radius of curvature of the convex surfaces at their peak points is greater than one-half the distance between the peak points. These configurations make it possible to employ rotatable bodies of a moderate and economical size having sides of very small convexities for an improved and stable wedging action.

It is also a feature of the amusement device of the present invention that longitudinal members slightly divergent at both ends are employed so that continuous and uninterrupted motion of a body thereon may be produced for any period of time. For example, the body may be reversed several hundred times without reversing its angular velocity and without touching it to keep it on the longitudinal members.

It is another feature of the present invention that novel means are provided to adjust the lateral spacing between the longitudinal members at one or both of the ends of the members.

The above-described and other advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which are to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an amusement device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged broken away side elevational view of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are end elevational views, partly in section, taken on the ines 4- 5, 5:i and 65, respectively, of the device shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the amusement device shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, inclusive;

FIG. ll is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of a portion of the device shown in FIGS. 1 to 6;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view, partly in section, of still another embodiment of the amusement device of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 13 33 of the device shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view of the operation of a rotatable body upon the device shown in FIGS. 12 and 13;

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view of the motion of the device shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 which will produce movement of a rotatable body as illustrated in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken on the line l717 shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a transverse sectional view of the device taken on the line 13l8 shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken on the line Zil-Ztl shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a transverse sectional view of the device taken on the line 2ll21 shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a top plan view of still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged broken top plan view of still another embodiment of the present invention; and

HG. 24 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 .24 of the device shown in FIG. 23.

In FIG. 1 an amusement device constructed in accord ance with the present invention is indicated at it). Amusement device it) includes a framework 12 and a rotatable body 26.

Framework 12 has two longitudinal members 22 and 24. Mutually adjacent ends of members 22 and 24 are held in fixed positions relative to one another by spacing bars l4 and 16.

A handle 18 is fixed to spacing bar 14. A handle 29 is fixed to spacing bar 16.

Body 26 has side surfaces 27 and 29. Surfaces 2'7 and 29 are nearly flat, although they are slightly convex. Body 26 has a shape similar to that of an oblate spheroid. However, the shape of body 26 is not precisely the same as that of an oblate spheroid because its outer radial extremity has a cylindrical shape.

Framework 12 may be made of an integral piece of wood. Alternatively, it may be nailed or cemented together in any conventional manner. All of the componant parts of framework 12 may be made of wood, if desired. Further, body 26 is made of a solid piece of wood. However, other materials may be used, if desired.

Members 22 and 24 are cylindrical wooden dowels. Their shape and the material of which they are made may, however, also be changed.

As viewed in FIG. 1, note will be taken that the spacing of members 22 and 2d at the left end of framework 12 is less than their spacing at the right end thereof. However, the angle between members 22 and 24 is approximately one-half degrees, as shown. Further, all of the embodiments of the present invention disclosed in this application may be constructed as described and in the proportions shown in the drawings. The diameter of body 26 may be 3 /2 inches, if desired. The diameter of body 36, shown in FIG. 12 and to be described, may be 3 /2 inches. The length of a body 34, shown in FIG. 23 and to be described, may be 4 inches.

Bodies 26 and 36 may have identical external surfaces. Bodies 2e and 36 may be perfect oblate spheroids with the exception of the said cylindrical surface at the edge thereof, if desired. Body 34 may be a perfect prolate spheroid except for fiat end surfaces, as shown, if desired. Body 36 may be hollow and have an approximately uniform wall thickness of, for example, one-sixteenth inch.

If framework 12 is held nearly horizontally, or handle 18 is elevated somewhat from the position shown in FIG. 2, body 26 will rotate downhill and in between members 22 and 24.

Members 22 and 24 will take some small outward defiection, but for simplicity, body 26 may be said to, for example, contact the surface of member 22 at a point. This point may move, for example, along a forward path 28, to a reversal point at 30' and along a reverse path at 32 as shown in FIG. 3.

If framework 12 is held approximately horizontal, as shown in FIG. 3, after body 26 has gained momentum and the body contact point ha moved back away from point 30 along return path 22, body 26 will tend to fall out from between the space between members 22 and 24. However, if handles 18 and 28 are turned 180 about their axis again to allow body 26 to ride on top of members 22 and 24, body 26 will not fall away from members 22 and 24.

As body 26 moves toward point 30 and its contact point moves along path 28, body 26 becomes wedged between members 22 and 24 due to the small convexity of body surfaces 27 and 29, and the small divergence of members 22 and 24. In practice, surfaces 27 and 29 should be nearly fiat at their centers. The small convexity of surfaces 27 and 29 makes body 26, itself, a wedge. The mechanical advantage of the wedge increases to an especially high value when the body axis lies in the plane of the axes of members 22 and 24. Similarly, the angle of divergence of members 22 and 24 should be small.

During the wedging action of body 26 between mem bers 22 and 24, these members flex very slightly in that they are somewhat resilient. Body 26 will continue to turn about its axis even though wedged between members 22 and 24. Body 26 may in fact turn about an axis parallel to, but spaced an infinitesimal distance from the axis of the body when the contact point of the body with member 22 is positioned at 30.

In FIG. 7, linear movement of body 26 on framework 12 is indicated by an arrow 38. The symmetrical axis of body 26'is indicated at 40. Note will be taken that at successively later points in time, the distance of axis 40 from framework 12 decreases. That is, a distance at 42 is greater than a distance at 44. Further, the distance at 44 is greater than the distance at 46.

Representative contact points on body 26 corresponding to dimensions 42, 44 and 46 are indicated in FIG. 8.

As shown in FIG. 9, the reversal of body 26 takes place as a rotation thereof about point 30 which is spaced dimension 46 from axis 40 of body 36. Dimension 46 is greatly exaggerated in the drawings. This dimension may actually be an infinitesimal distance. Further, it may be equal to zero in some cases. Note will be taken that axis 40, during rotation of body 26 about point 30, may move along a locus of point which has a shape approximately the same as that of a semi-circle as indicated at 48. Similarly, a point 50 on body 26 may prescribe a larger semi-circle 52 as it moves to successive point around point 30 as indicated at 50', 50 and 50".

As shown in FIG. 10, if framework 12 is not turned over, even though body 26, upon its reversal and linear movement in the direction of arrow 54 tends to fall out of the space between members 22 and 24, body 26 will in fact be held by framework 12 for a visibly discernible period of time. That is, body 26 will move downwardly and in the direction of arrow 54 as viewed in FIG. 10, but it will not fall free from the grip of framework 12 for a noticeable period of time. Thus, the distance from body axis 40 to the horizontal plane of framework 12 at position 56 shown in FIG. 9 may be 58. At a short time later, the spacing may be 66. At a short time still later, the spacing may be 62. Thus, the dimension 58 is smaller than dimension 66 and the dimension 60 is smaller than the dimension 62.

6 Due to the fact that body 26 is, while spinning, held in framework 12, handles 18 and 20 may be rotated 180 to prevent body 26 from falling completely free from framework 12. Body 26 may thus ride all the way in the reverse direction indicated at path 32 to the same longitudinal position in which it is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in solid lines.

As shown in FIG. 11, a framework 12 may be provided similar to framework 12, but for the elimination of spacing bar 16 and handle 20. Further, the weight of body 26 may cause the dowels of framework 12 to diverge and they need not diverge when they do not support any Weight.

As shown in FIG. 12, an amusement device constructed in accordance with the present invention may be provided so that a rotatable body may be operated continuously to reverse its direction of linear motion many times.

As stated previously, a rotatable body 36 may be provided having an external surface identical to that in shape to that of body 26. If desired, body 36 may have a hollow blow-molded polyethylene construction.

The alternative embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 12 is indicated at 64, including a framework 66 and body 36. Framework 66 has two steel rods 68 and 70 of a substantially uniform circular cross section throughout their lengths. The shape and material of rods 68 and 70 may, of course, be changed without departing from the invention. Rods 68 and 70 are mounted in a manner to diverge at each end thereof. Framework 66 has a wooden handle 72. Handle 72 is provided with circular holes 74 and 76 in the right end thereof. Rods 68 and 70 have Z-shaped end portions 78 and 80. Portions 78 and 80 have longitudinally extending tips 82 and 84, respectively, which fit tightly within holes 74 and 76, respectively. One of the tips may be slightly longer than the other one. They may be rotated manually within a range of angles therein, but only by the use of some physical effort.

Rods 68 and 70 also have end portions 86 and 88 which are bent and sprung and wedged inside the bore of a hollow wooden cylinder 90.

Rods 68 and 70 have cylindrical portions at 92 and 94, respectively. Note will be taken from FIG. 13 that portions 92 and 94 may be located closer to each other by rotating handle 72 and holding rods 68 and 70 so that portions 92 and 94 will move to the position shown in dotted lines at 92' and 94', respectively.

As stated previously, ends 86 and 88 of rods 68 and 70 are fitted in cylinder 90.

The tolerance between rod ends 86 and 88 and the bore of cylinder 90 is greatly exaggerated in FIG. 12 to demonstrate the points of contact between the rod ends and the cylinder bore. The spacing of rod ends 86 and 88 may be adjusted by manually squeezing rod portions 92 and 94 together and moving rod ends 86 and 88 into or out of the bore of cylinder 90.

Rods 68 and 70 may be manually removed from handle 72 and cylinder 90. In their unstressed states when they are so disassembled, rod portions 92 and 94 are actually straight.

In the operation of the amusement device 64 constructed in accordance with the present invention, body 36 may, for example, be rotated on top of rods 68 and 70 in the direction of arrow shown in FIG. 14 and back again on the underside thereof as indicated by arrow 102 without otherwise guiding body 36. It may also be operated in a near vertical position with the arrow 108 indicating an upward linear movement of the object and 102 indicating a downward linear movement with no change in the direction of angular momentum of body 36.

This mode of operation can be achieved by moving framework 66 in the direction of arrows 104, as shown in FIG. 15, in synchronism with linear movement of body 36. In this regard, it is to be understood that, although some linear framework slippage or skidding may exist when any one of the rotatable bodies disclosed herein are used, no substantial slippage generally will be observable. However, from the foregoing discussion, it will be appreciated that angular slippage may very well be attendant upon the operation of an amusement device constructed in accordance with the present invention. This angular slippage results because contact does not take place at a single point but over a minute area. Further, it is observable that rotatable bodies 26, 36 and 34 will continue to rotate within corresponding frameworks 12 and 64, even though linear movement of these bodies may be substantially at a standstill as represented in FIG. 9 by retation of body 26 about point 30.

In FIG. 16, an alternative framework 200 is shown. Framework 2% may be an integral piece of sheet metal or wood. An elongated hole 201 is provided along its length. Framework 200 may be held by handle 202. The edges of hole 281 at 203, 264, 205 and 206 may diverge in the same manner that portions 92 and 94 of rods 78 and 80 diverge. All of the edges may have an inwardly curved cross section as indicated at 26 t and 203 in FIG. 18.

A further alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown at 2i37 in FIG. 19. Framework 297 may be identical to framework 200 with the exception that hole 208 in framework 207 is surrounded by relatively sharp edges, for example, as shown at 210 and 211 in FIG. 21.

A framework 212 is shown in FIG. 22. Framework 212 may consist of a solid cylindrical wooden dowel 213 to which a rod 214 is fixed by cementing or otherwise. Note will be taken that rod 214 has a cylindrical portion 215 which may be identical to portion 94 of rod 88 shown I in FIG. 12. Dowel 213 is somewhat longer than rod 214 at 216, the extension 216 thereof providing a handle.

An alternative embodiment of the amusement device of the present invention is indicated in FIGS. 23 and 42. Note will be taken that the curvature of the convex surface of body 34 is similar to that of convex surfaces 27 and 29 of body 26. However, the surface of body 34 is a surface of the revolution of a curve something in the nature of an ellipse about the longitudinal axis of body 34. Thus, a rotatable body constructed in accordance with the present invention need not be a surface of revolution about its transverse and rotational axis.

Body 34 may be employed on framework 12. The operation of body 34on framework 12 is much the same as that of body 2d. Rather than riding on a circular path on convex surfaces 27 and 29, body 34 may ride upon members 22 and 24 alternately at points 104, 106, 11.08 and lid shown in FIG. 23. A rocking action will be difficult to observe. This may be due to the fact that members 22 and 24 are somewhat resilient and flexible.

Although members 22, 24, 68 and 7% have uniform circular cross sections throughout their lengths, it is the facing surfaces of these members and their divergence which. are important. Thus, uniformity or circularity in the cross sections of these longitudinal members are not, by any means, absolutely essential to the operation of the amusement device of the present invention when considered in its broadest concept.

In order for a rotatable object to be supported by rigid rods at one point yet pass between them at another remote point, there must be a divergence of these rods.

In the case of resilient and flexible rods, the degree of divergence can be somewhat less because the distance between the rods can be varied by the outward deflection of said rods. It it apparent that various inventions have been patented having balls and divergent supporting members. However, it is also apparent that in each case the divergence has been only to permit the ball to fall between the members. In each case the inventor has used a sphere having the same diameter regardless of the rotational axis of the ball.

One outstanding feature of the present invention lies in the angular construction of the rod divergence. This should be very small. The use of a rotatable object as having nearly fiat but convex sides is also an outstanding feature. These constructions permit the regulation or control of the body as it passes through the rods. Thus, the body may be operated in an unusual and quite startling manner never before conceived of in the prior art. This is achieved in that the linear momentum of the body is converted into angular momentum and the body reverses its linear direction of motion without losing contact with the longitudinal members.

Ideally, the convexity of the body sides should be as small as possible. Also, for the smoothest operation in the reversal of the linear movement of the body, the distance between points 3t) and as in FIG. 9 should be reduced to zero or to a value as near to zero as it is possible to make this distance. Gripping action of the rods on the body is also thereby improved.

A body or longitudinal member made in accordance with the present invention need not be absolutely smooth. For example, a grooved surface would work. However, the surfaces of the body and members should not be as soft as, for example, foam rubber. Preferably, they should be relatively hard as the surface of polyethylene is.

It will be understood that the divergence of the longitudinal members is relative. That is, one could be absolutely straight and the other divergent. It is therefore emphasized that the word divergence, as applied to the longitudinal members and as used in this description and claims, is defined as a relatively term setting forth the position of one longitudinal member relative to the other one.

Further, the word divergence is hereby defined for use as referring only to the longitudinal angularity of the facing body engaging surfaces of the longitudinal members or the space therebetween, and not to other portions of the members.

The word rod is also defined, for the same purpose to include longitudinal members of any cross section, or

combination of cross sections.

The phrase convex surface as used herein shall not be limited to an absolutely smooth surface but may include a nearly fiat conical surface, a series of surfaces which are frustrums of cones, a series of small flat surfaces or any combination thereof which results in a generally convex surface.

The phrase convex side surface is also hereby defined to include opposite sides of each one of the bodies 26, 34 and 36 disclosed herein and bodies having a construction equivalent to those of bodies 26, 34 and 36.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the fact that the bodies 26, as and 34 more or less hang onto frameworks 12 and 66 make it possible to manipulate the amusement devices ill, 64 and 112 of the present invention by the use of only a moderate amount of skill. The continued angular rotation of bodies 26, 36 and 34 at their points of reversal make the operation of all of the devices it 64 and 112 smooth. There is no broken continuity in their motion as inprior art devices.

Both of these advantages are achieved because bodies 26, as and 132 may automatically reverse and continue angular rotation in the same direction and still be wedged and stably retained between members 22 and 24 or rods 63 and iii. The fact that they are so retained also makes it possible to eliminate the trap structures employed with prior art devices.

The unique mode of operation of an amusement device constructed in accordance with the present invention also avoids the undesirable abrupt drop and discontinuity in ball movement attendant upon the operation of the prior art devices.

Note will be taken that the relatively larger radius of curvature of the surface of bodies 26, 36 and 34 at their points of contact with frameworks l2 and 66 make it possible, through rotation of the bodies, for the bodies to become wedged tightly between members 22 and 34, and between rods 68 and 70. Note will be taken that wedges are formed by the said large radii of curvature. Thus, as the rotational axes of bodies 26, 36 and 34 move toward frameworks 12 and 66, the mechanical advantage of these Wedges increases. Further, the substantially flat side surfaces of the rotatable bodies 26, 36 and 34 provide a large gripping area.

Note will be taken that it is an advantage of the present invention that the peak points of the convex side surfaces of bodies 26, 36 and 34 lie on a corresponding rotational axis of a length between peaks either less than the maximum longitudinal dimension of the corresponding body or less than the radius of curvature of the said surfaces at the said peak points. This makes it possible to produce a small curvature with a body of a small maximum transverse dimension easy to handle and yet having a shape to facilitate superior gripping action as stated previously.

It is also a feature of the amusement device 64 of the present invention that body 36 may be kept rotating continuously as its direction of linear motion repeatedly reverses.

Still other features of the amusement device 64 of the present invention reside in the adjustments which can be made regarding the spacing of rods 68 and 70.

Note will be taken that the longitudinal members of all of the devices shown in FIGS. 16 to 22 inclusive, have some resilience and flexibility, although, as stated previously, the resilience and flexibility may be rather small. Further, if hollow plastic body 36 has a relatively hard surface but has sides which flex inwardly toward each other, it may be used With the longitudinal members of the device shown in FIGS. 16 to 22. Further, the corresponding longitudinal members of each of the devices shown in FIGS. 16 to 22 may be, in that case, held rigidly with respect to each other.

Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, many changes and modifications thereof will, of course, suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. The present invention should therefore not be limited to the embodiments selected for this disclosure, the true scope of the invention being defined only in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement device comprising: a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal rod means; and body means ro tatable on top of said rod means, said body means having nearly flat but slightly convex sides of such a substantial size and small convexity, and one of said means having such a resilience and flexibility, and said rod means having such a spacing in a predetermined region along the length thereof that, upon rotation of said body means on said rod means in said region, said body means will rotate about a transverse axis therethrough and move in a predetermined direction, but will become wedged tighter and tighter between said rod means and will continue to rotate until the widest portion of said body means passes completely through the space between said rod means from one side thereof to the other side thereof and said body means begins to move in a direction opposite said predetermined direction while still being wedged between said rod means, whereby linear velocity of said body means in said predetermined direction is reduced to zero and subsequently increased in said opposite direction, the angular velocity thereof thereby increasing and decreasing but not to zero, said body means being kept from dropping down out of the space between said rod means for a predetermined length of time both before and after said Widest portion of said body means has passed between said rod means as aforesaid and said body means has begun to move in said opposite direction, said rod means being located in divergent positions while said body means is wedged therebetween as aforesaid.

2. A game of skill including: a manually manipulatable member and a rolling member adapted to be engaged with said manual member and roll thereon; said manual member including a handle adapted to be manually held, securing means connected to said handle, first and second longitudinal members secured to said securing means, said first and second longitudinal members being of uniform cross section and presenting curved bearing surfaces facing each other and defining a space therebetween, spacing means secured to said longitudinal members to define the space between the bearing surfaces on said longitudinal members remote from said securing means, said distance between said bearing surfaces on said first and second longitudinal members gradually and uniformly increasing along a substantial portion of the length thereof; said rolling member being adapted for engagement with said bearing surfaces on said first and second longitudinal members, said rolling member having an axis of rotation, the dimension of said rolling member along said axis of rotation being greater than the least spacing between said bearing surfaces on said first and second longitudinal members at a first point along their length, and being substantially equal to the greatest spacing between said bearing surfaces on said first and second longitudinal members at a second point along their length so that said rolling member may be supported by said bearing surfaces on said first and second longitudinal members at the first point along the length thereof and may pass between said bearing surfaces on said first and second longitudinal members the second point along the length thereof, the spacing between said bearing surfaces on said first and second longitudinal members at a third point along their length being greater than the dimension of said rolling member along said axis of rotation, said rolling member being an ellipsoid of revolution having long and short axes, the short axis of the ellipsoid being the axis of revolution and being parallel to the axis of rolling, said ellipsoid being of such curvature that its radius adjacent its axis of rotation is substantially greater than the spacing between said bearing surfaces on said first and second longitudinal members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,237,748 4/1941 Schwarzenzer 273-109 3,080,167 3/1963 Hansard 273-109 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED LONGITUDINAL ROD MEANS; AND BODY MEANS ROTATABLE ON TOP OF SAID ROD MEANS, SAID BODY MEANS HAVING NEARLY FLAT BUT SLIGHTLY CONVEX SIDES OF SUCH A SUBSTANTIAL SIZE AND SMALL CONVEXITY, AND ONE OF SAID MEANS HAVING SUCH A RESILIENCE AND FLEXIBILITY, AND SAID ROD MEANS HAVING SUCH A SPACING IN A PREDETERMINED REGION ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF THAT, UPON ROTATION OF SAID BODY MEANS ON SAID ROD MEANS IN SAID REGION, SAID BODY MEANS WILL ROTATE ABOUT A TRANSVERSE AXIS THERETHROUGH AND MOVE IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION, BUT WILL BECOME WEDGED TIGHTER AND TIGHTER BETWEEN SAID ROD MEANS AND WILL CONTINUE TO ROTATE UNTIL THE WIDEST PORTION OF SAID BODY MEANS PASSES COMPLETELY THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID ROD MEANS FROM ONE SIDE THEREOF TO THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF AND SAID BODY MEANS BEGINS TO MOVE IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE SAID PREDETERMINED DIRECTION WHILE STILL BEING WEDGED BETWEEN SAID ROD MEANS, WHEREBY LINEAR VELOCITY OF SAID BODY MEANS IN SAID PREDETERMINED DIRECTION IS REDUCED TO ZERO AND SUBSEQUENTLY INCREASED IN SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTION, THE ANGULAR VELOCITY THEREOF THEREBY INCREASING AND DECREASING BUT NOT TO ZERO, SAID BODY MEANS BEING KEPT FROM DROPPING DOWN OUT OF THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID ROD MEANS FOR A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF TIME BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER SAID WIDEST PORTION OF SAID BODY MEANS HAS PASSED BETWEEN SAID ROD MEANS AS AFORESAID AND SAID BODY MEANS HAS BEGUN TO MOVE IN SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAID ROD MEANS BEING LOCATED IN DIVERGENT POSITIONS WHILE SAID BODY MEANS IS WEDGED THEREBETWEEN AS AFORESAID. 